American Jailed 10 Years for Using ChatGPT to Plan Bank Robbery

A 23-year-old man from Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after robbing a bank at gunpoint and using ChatGPT while planning the crime.

Deron Lewis-Payne was sentenced on August 13, 2026, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.

The sentence comprises 37 months for bank robbery and an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The terms will run consecutively, followed by five years of supervised release.

The robbery occurred on February 10 when Lewis-Payne entered i3Bank in Omaha carrying a black semi-automatic handgun. He pointed the weapon at two employees and threatened to kill them if they failed to comply with his demands.

He ordered the employees to empty their cash drawers and specifically warned them not to include dye packs. The tellers complied, allowing him to escape with approximately $9,175.

Investigators later identified Lewis-Payne through surveillance footage from the bank and nearby residential cameras. The footage reportedly captured his unmasked face, clothing and red Nike slides, while other cameras recorded the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery.

Investigators also examined his phone and discovered that he had used ChatGPT while preparing for the robbery.

According to the US Justice Department, his queries included questions about law enforcement response times, repairing a Llama Mini-Max .45 handgun and obtaining ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon.

His Google Maps history also showed that he had searched for directions to the bank shortly before the robbery.

Following the incident, investigators said Lewis-Payne went on a shopping spree at Westroads Mall, using stolen cash to purchase clothing and shoes.

When officers later located him near one of his residences, he fled, abandoning some of the stolen money. Searches of his residences uncovered additional currency bands, the vehicle allegedly used in the robbery and clothing matching what he wore during the incident.

Lewis-Payne admitted driving the vehicle but denied taking part in the robbery.

The firearm used during the crime was never recovered, while investigators recovered $2,397 of the $9,175 stolen.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Justice Department noted that federal prisoners do not receive parole.